shaunc wrote:Today I got home from work at about lunch time & my wife had prepared an omelette. The eggs were from our backyard & so was the silver beet. She also used some capsicum & chilli, that I can't take the credit for. After lunch I spent some time feeding & watering the animals & the never ending task of chipping weeds. In less than a couple of hours I'd experienced the good & the bad of backyard gardening. It made me think of the 8 worldly concerns taught in Buddhism. I also wondered if life would be as enjoyable without them.

I'm sure my life wouldn't be as enjoyable without gardening.. but not only that, I think it's taught me alot of patience -that you can't force things. I don't even mind weeding, but I'm thankful for good mulch!

So, today in my garden i harvested some seeds from my heirloom varieties (lettuce - marvel of 4 seasons, sweet peas - painted lady, beans - purple king, lazy housewife, sunflowers - giant russian... i left a few for the birds to enjoy..) I have to move house before xmas so I'm hoping some of my veggies mature in time - I've got corn, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, melons, tomatillo, eggplant, rosella and others on the go.

A nice side-effect of gardening is that my relationship with my neighbours has also blossomed - people stop out the front to chat about it, the guy next door jokingly complains that he's had to lift his game in the yard since the 'missus' loves my garden, and i love dropping bunches of radishes at neighbours front door when i have a surplus.

Up here in the foothills of the Oregon Cascades near Eugene it is difficult to grow crops that love warm soil. Much to my surprise my green melons actually produced and will store for months. They aren't that big or sweet, but I have plans to remedy this problem, row covers that keep the heat in and also the bugs out! The last of my melons, harvested Sept 2013, I ate for breakfast yesterday, which I saved the seeds for next year. Produce that produces seeds from your garden stores genetic data regarding how to adapt and grow in it's birth environment. Seeds harvested from your garden grow better in your garden because they know what to do! Interesting yes? If you want more data on this I'll try and scrub up the documents, I can't remember exactly where I read this. It makes sense to me

Honeydew melon has light green flesh and a smooth exterior rind. by Sandi BuschHoneydew melon makes a refreshing treat on a hot summer day, but it’s also a low-calorie and healthy choice any time you need to feed a craving for sweets. Whether enjoyed fresh or added to a fruit salad, honeydew delivers iron, B vitamins and essential nutrients.

Vitamin COne cup of cubed honeydew provides 34 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Free radicals are the natural byproduct of normal chemical processes, but they damage cells if they’re not neutralized by an antioxidant such as vitamin C. Damaged cells become inflamed and, over time, that can result in illnesses, including cardiovascular disease. White blood cells in the immune system secrete substances to kill bacteria, but the same substances would harm the white blood cells if not, in part, for vitamin C’s antioxidant ability to neutralize the toxins. Your body also needs vitamin C for the synthesis of collagen, which is used to support blood vessels, ligaments and skin.PotassiumMuscles, nerves, the heart and blood vessels all rely on the presence of potassium for normal functioning. Potassium is capable of carrying an electric charge that stimulates and regulates muscle contractions and communication between nerves. In this role, potassium maintains a regular heart beat and the tone of blood vessel walls. Getting enough potassium in your diet is associated with maintaining a normal blood pressure, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. One cup of cubed honeydew has 388 milligrams of potassium, which is 8 percent of the recommended daily intake.Vitamin B-6Like other B vitamins, vitamin B-6 functions as a coenzyme, which means it must be present for enzymes to activate chemical processes. It’s used by more than 100 enzymes, many of which metabolize protein. Vitamin B-6 must be present for the creation of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and sleep. It also converts an amino acid, homocysteine, into other beneficial substances, which is important because high levels of homocysteine are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. You’ll gain 12 percent of the recommended daily intake from 1 cup of honeydew melon.FiberHoneydew melon contains soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps keep blood sugar balanced by slowing the absorption of carbohydrates. It also lowers cholesterol by carrying it out of the body. Insoluble fiber is the type of dietary fiber that keeps food moving through the digestive tract, preventing constipation and some types of gastrointestinal disease. One cup of honeydew melon has a total of 1.4 grams of fiber. Men need 38 grams daily, while women need 25 grams, so men get 4 percent of their recommended daily intake and women gain 6 percent

Mind and mental events are concepts, mere postulations within the three realms of samsara Longchenpa .... A link to my Garden, Art and Foodie blog Scratch Living

@tidathep the carving of radish is amazing skill! We eat radish as a side dish or in our fresh salads. And the Honey dewdish looks so yummy, I'm coming over to your house for dinner.

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Appaloosa beans and Calendula flowers for eating and making healing ointment. Calendula species have been used traditionally as culinary and medicinal herbs. The petals are edible and can be used fresh in salads or dried and used to color cheese or as a replacement for saffron. I dry the whole flower and soak it in hemp oil for cuts and bruises. The pretty yellow and orange petals when dried, store well in glass jars for my rice dishes.

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Blue sky and number 3 garden summer of 2013

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Oregano, thyme, Feverfew, Motherwort, and lavender from the front herb gardens. EDIT: the glass carboys are full of Fiddle Head wine made from the early spring maiden ferns that grow in our swamp. You can eat the immature fern heads as well. They taste like asparagus, super yummy and nutritious.

Mind and mental events are concepts, mere postulations within the three realms of samsara Longchenpa .... A link to my Garden, Art and Foodie blog Scratch Living

My summer lettuce, bok choi, and sprouts from thinning cabbage, collards, kale beds, and radish. I eat these with my lunch and dinner meals during the spring, summer, into late fall. Radish is not my favorite root crop. The reason I eat the bitter hot root is because my GI has been damaged by who knows what. It's a common problem for us folk who suffer from Fibromylagia. I no longer suffer from damaged gut syndrome but I am careful not to damage just incase. Nothing worse than the pain and distress from a sick GI. All sorts of things are tied to the gut including the ability to think. I didn't use machines with our gardens, just a shovel and hoe. My husband helped me with the heavy shovel work but I've done all the other work. His job is taking care of the chickens and yard work.

1. Naturally coolingRadishes are a naturally cooling food and their pungent flavor is highly regarded in eastern medicine for the ability to decrease excess heat in the body that can build up during the warmer months.

2. Sooth sore throatsTheir pungent flavor and natural spice can help eliminate excess mucus in the body and can be especially helpful when fighting a cold. Radishes can help clear the sinuses and soothe soar throats too.

3. Aids digestionRadishes are a natural cleansing agent for the digestive system, helping to break down and eliminate stagnant food and toxins built up over time.

4. Prevents viral infectionsBecause of their high vitamin C content and natural cleansing effects, regular consumption of radishes can help prevent viral infections.

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I love my number 3 garden gate placed on the Easterly side of our property. My garden has been like ngondro for me.

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One of my favorite flowers to eat and for display. I have a huge amount of seeds from this flower, which was the size of an American dinner plate (huge).

The total antioxidant capacity of artichoke flower heads is one of the highest reported for vegetables. Cynarine is a chemical constituent in Cynara. The majority of the cynarine found in artichoke is located in the pulp of the leaves, though dried leaves and stems of artichoke also contain it. It inhibits taste receptors, making water (and other foods and drinks) seem sweet. Studies have shown artichoke to aid digestion, hepatic and gall bladder function, and raise the ratio of HDL to LDL. This reduces cholesterol levels, which diminishes the risk for arteriosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Aqueous extracts from artichoke leaves have also been shown to reduce cholesterol by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase and having a hypolipidemic influence, lowering blood cholesterol. Artichoke contains the bioactive agents apigenin and luteolin.C. scolymus also seems to have a bifidogenic effect on beneficial gut bacteria. Artichoke leaf extract has proved helpful for patients with functional dyspepsia, and may ameliorate symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. (wiki)

Mind and mental events are concepts, mere postulations within the three realms of samsara Longchenpa .... A link to my Garden, Art and Foodie blog Scratch Living

Living for 10 years in Chicago after spending 40 years living in the country was a difficult adjustment. I think that's why I became so so sick, I was totally cut off from nature and being independent.

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My Buff Brahma Rooster named Big Boy, BB for short. This is a heritage chicken and the thousands of diverse heritage livestock across the world are becoming extinct because of factory farming. These are animals that have symbiotic relationships with humans, we have developed a network of support with plants and animals. Neither of us can survive without each other now. I've started breeding and selling some of our heritage chickens, mostly Buff Brahmas and Cuckoo Marans, but I really love the Cochins as well. Heritage Chickens grow slower, reaching egg laying and butcher weight around 4-6 months as opposed to Cornish Crosses which are butchered around 7-8 weeks. The Cornish Cross grows so fast their heart may burst and they get muscle infections and leg deformities. It is very hard for the bird to breed because of it's over developed muscles, it's incredibly clumsy. It doesn't matter if they can't breed per factory farm mentality. Most of the Cornish Crosses will not live beyond a year old if you raise them free range. They can hardly walk and can't take extreme heat or cold. I hatched some, there is a real chicken personality in that poor deformed over muscled body. It was heart breaking. I butchered them at 8 weeks old, they would of died from heat stroke if I let them live free range outside a factory environment here on my little hobby farm.

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Cuckoo Maran Chick and a bantam Cochin hatched here on the farm. My grandkids love tending the babies and so do we. We go sit with them every day and they use us like their own playground, climbing all over us. I raised 120 chicks this last year, sold most to backyard farmers like me. I butchered the roos that didn't sell. That's my contribution to keeping my heritage alive. We are all losing our languages, crafts, ways of living that have kept us humans stable and healthy for thousands of years. It is very sad to see this happening all over the world. Many of our heritage chickens have lost the urge to sit on eggs as well, too strict of breeding programs. The chickens I've picked still have their brooding instinct intact. Cochins are the broodiest of the lot

Most folk I knew from the city remind me of the Cornish Cross, domesticated to the point we can no longer free range. Not saying they were fat, they are no longer hardy and independent. We are too dependent on very fragile systems that could crash for a variety of reasons at any time. If we lost our electrical grids tomorrow we would be like those poor cornish cross chickens.

Mind and mental events are concepts, mere postulations within the three realms of samsara Longchenpa .... A link to my Garden, Art and Foodie blog Scratch Living

I never had much luck with purebred chickens. Years ago I started off with Australorp bantams, I didn't find them to be a hardy breed. I did have better luck with langshans but like most purebreds I found they were forever going broody. If you're a breeder this is a good trait to have, but as I live in town & am not allowed to keep a rooster it's not a trait I admire. Currently I have 1 Australorp bantam & 4 hybrids (hyline variety) from a battery farm. At least they have a better life with me than they would on a battery farm & not much can touch my girls when it comes to laying. I feed them a free range laying mix, as well as vegetable scraps & the occasional tin of sardines or a handful of dog biscuits to boost their protein levels. Because of the way they've been bred the cope with containment better than a lot of birds. This comes in handy when I'm establishing my vegetable patch. At the moment I'm keeping them cooped in a week or 2 I'll start letting the girls free range again. I chipped a few weeds this morning & got my first 4 zucchinis as per usual I threw the first one to the chooks. I' m a bit computer illiterate but Brenton is at home today with a dislocated shoulder so I'll ask him if he can post a photo for me.

What great Buddha Nature Temples aka gardens you guys have. Very inspiring. No pics from me for now but just to remind even a window box can provide fresh herbs. I just planted two using a mix of rosemary and lemon thyme for my sisters place. Sage has to be next. We have some sage still growing beneath too much tree shade. Parsley is shade tolerant. Herbs are great. Food as medicine. Gardening as practice.

What great Buddha Nature Temples aka gardens you guys have. Very inspiring. No pics from me for now but just to remind even a window box can provide fresh herbs. I just planted two using a mix of rosemary and lemon thyme for my sisters place. Sage has to be next. We have some sage still growing beneath too much tree shade. Parsley is shade tolerant. Herbs are great. Food as medicine. Gardening as practice.

Yes, for sure. But my problem is: I don't dare to eat the herbs I have grown. I'm too attached to them. With fruits, tomato, chillies, no problem. Strange but true.

What great Buddha Nature Temples aka gardens you guys have. Very inspiring. No pics from me for now but just to remind even a window box can provide fresh herbs. I just planted two using a mix of rosemary and lemon thyme for my sisters place. Sage has to be next. We have some sage still growing beneath too much tree shade. Parsley is shade tolerant. Herbs are great. Food as medicine. Gardening as practice.

Yes, for sure. But my problem is: I don't dare to eat the herbs I have grown. I'm too attached to them. With fruits, tomato, chillies, no problem. Strange but true.

With most of them you can just tear off a few leaves and the plant will still be fine. And if you keep any of them growing long enough, they flower and go to seed and then die. Once they are flowering you might as well eat them because otherwise they are going to return to the earth as compost anyway.

What great Buddha Nature Temples aka gardens you guys have. Very inspiring. No pics from me for now but just to remind even a window box can provide fresh herbs. I just planted two using a mix of rosemary and lemon thyme for my sisters place. Sage has to be next. We have some sage still growing beneath too much tree shade. Parsley is shade tolerant. Herbs are great. Food as medicine. Gardening as practice.

I started out with a box of herbs on my patio in downtown Chicago. When we had the chance to leave we moved back to my home state so I could regain my health through eating the food I could grow myself. We may not stay here next year, maybe moving to Europe. However, we plan to continue growing our own food no matter where we go, even if it's just a pot of herbs.

tidathep wrote:Sawaddee Ka..Reddust/ ฝุ่นสีแดง I'm so impressed with your 'artichoke flower'...so so beautiful/exotic..I've never seen it before ....

The royal gardens are simply amazing and the flowers so beautiful. The artichoke has a rather spiky beauty being a related to thistles. It's beauty in flower and form along with healing nutritional properties make it one of the most important plants I grow in my garden. Thank you Tidathep for sharing so many beautiful things in your life

shaunc wrote:I never had much luck with purebred chickens. Years ago I started off with Australorp bantams, I didn't find them to be a hardy breed. I did have better luck with langshans but like most purebreds I found they were forever going broody. If you're a breeder this is a good trait to have, but as I live in town & am not allowed to keep a rooster it's not a trait I admire. Currently I have 1 Australorp bantam & 4 hybrids (hyline variety) from a battery farm. At least they have a better life with me than they would on a battery farm & not much can touch my girls when it comes to laying. I feed them a free range laying mix, as well as vegetable scraps & the occasional tin of sardines or a handful of dog biscuits to boost their protein levels. Because of the way they've been bred the cope with containment better than a lot of birds. This comes in handy when I'm establishing my vegetable patch. At the moment I'm keeping them cooped in a week or 2 I'll start letting the girls free range again. I chipped a few weeds this morning & got my first 4 zucchinis as per usual I threw the first one to the chooks. I' m a bit computer illiterate but Brenton is at home today with a dislocated shoulder so I'll ask him if he can post a photo for me.

Shaunc,I raise mix breeds as well, but I want to keep our heritage farm animals from going extinct. So I raise and sell purebreds that have been with us for so long. It is so sad to see across the world our heritage livestock and plants are being destroyed for profit and control I raised 4 kids and tended a large ranch as well, for many years. Taking care of 50 acres of trees, and 50 acres of pasture and the animals that we raised was much easier on me then raising those human beings. I think raising the kids caused so much stress my memory shorted out! My son feels the same way about computers. I love the computer but will not be buying another one when mine breaks. The whole industry around our gadgets is destroying our world and killing millions of people, poisoning the land and animals. After I found out what goes into making a smart phones and computers I decided not to buy anymore. That's my choice and I am not asking anyone else to make that kind of sacrifice.

Mind and mental events are concepts, mere postulations within the three realms of samsara Longchenpa .... A link to my Garden, Art and Foodie blog Scratch Living

I have 3, 2 x5 foot beds of leeks. They do well in the winter here on the foothills of the Oregon Cascades. They take frost well when covered with straw and continue to grow throughout the winter. I use these plants in my stews and savory green smoothies. vitamin K52.2%, vitamin A29.6%, manganese21.5%, vitamin C17.8%, folate14.2%, vitamin B610.5%, iron10.3%, fiber6.4%, magnesium6.2%, molybdenum5.9%, copper5.5%, calcium5.2%, potassium4.5%, Calories (54)3%

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I grew red german garlic this year 2 beds 2 x 15 foot, dried 1/2 for this winter and replanted the remaining for next years garlic crop. (http://www.territorialseed.com/product/11909/26). German Red is a full-bodied, strong and spicy rocambole garlic that reliably produces large, satiny white and purple heads. The easy-to-peel cloves are wrapped in fawn colored skins. A widely popular variety that sets the standard for true garlic flavor. Grows particularly well in colder regions of the country.Red Cipollini onion grew really well in the costal weather of the cascade range, cold and damp through fall into spring. Summers are very dry and hot here near Eugene Oregon. I make a 4 onion relish and can instead of storing dry because it is very damp here and it's really hard to keep dried or stored veggies from going bad. Orginally from Italy these onions are considered LONG day, but some people claim they grow them just fine in day neutral areas. Red Cipollini is bright red, flattened and can be used for fresh eating, boiling, or braising. Red Cipollini is about 3-4" across and about 1-1 1/2" in depth. Stores well. In fact it can be seen in Italy braided (like garlic) and hanging in kitchens. Seedlings can be fall planted here in Northern California and should over winter well. (http://sustainableseedco.com/heirloom-v ... seeds.html)

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Some of this late summer harvest. I don't know which part of gardening I like more. From planting or sprouting of seed, tending to weeds and watering (may be my least favorite) to harvest and eating.

Mind and mental events are concepts, mere postulations within the three realms of samsara Longchenpa .... A link to my Garden, Art and Foodie blog Scratch Living

There's many dharma lessons to be learnt in a garden. Impermanence, the law of Dependant origination, samsara & karma. It's true that the gardening itself can be a form of practise & is done by many Japanese monks/priests. Even a small thing like giving a workmate or neighbour some eggs & vegetables can be considered Dana. Good luck in your practise/garden.

Our number one rooster named Dot2 a Cuckoo Marans, he weighs in at a hefty 15lbs, he was so tiny and super friendly. Dot2 is very nice rooster that protects his hens, eats rats, chases marauding squirrels, watches for hawks and is nice to humans and other livestock, hens weigh 10lbs

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My grandkids are struck with wonder when they watch the babies hatch. I hatch 50 chicks a month from February to April

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I have 2 incubators with a generator backup if electricity goes out which happens often here early spring with ice storms. My hens go broody as well, they can hatch about 6-10 eggs each I usually get 2 hens out of my 11 that go broody and they will try and sit on everyone's eggs. Usually I add 3 new hens each season, and sell my one year olds to someone who wants an older easy going hen for their backyard. The young hens will lay eggs through the winter while the 1 1/2 old hens will start molting in the fall and go on a winter vacation regarding egg laying. Older hens start laying late winter-early spring. I don't like using lights to keep the egg laying hormones going, I think the hens need some time off and they should be allowed to follow their normal cycles. Each year I've been doing this I've sold all my pullets and some of my roosters as well. I've met the nicest people who want to be a little more independent/organic and grow their own food. All of us that backyard garden and raise chickens/livestock help support the continued relationship of our heritage livestock and seeds. A growing awareness of the loss of our heritage and connection to the web of life has caused a huge movement to grow your own food and support small farmers that is growing larger every year.

Mind and mental events are concepts, mere postulations within the three realms of samsara Longchenpa .... A link to my Garden, Art and Foodie blog Scratch Living

This tobacco is called Yellow Burley used in the production of cigarettes, I like the plant because it's very pretty and grows in poor soil. I use most of my tobacco plants for is decoration and insecticide. I use my Hopi Tobacco for my occasional peace pipes. I bought some really exotic tobacco seeds this year, mostly American Indian, however I did buy a pretty tobacco seed that will grow into a six foot tall plant with large emerald green leaves and bright purple flowers.

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Some late spring flowers from our side gardens for our kitchen alter.

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I dug a new bed for potatoes this year and I didn't get a big harvest. Between the new dirt, deer, and a very dry season my harvest was cut by 1/3. What I harvested I am eating half and saving the rest for planting next year. I grew Fingerlings, Reds, and Yukon Yellow Gold.

Mind and mental events are concepts, mere postulations within the three realms of samsara Longchenpa .... A link to my Garden, Art and Foodie blog Scratch Living